Assen starts construction of 'floating grandstand'

Immediately after the Assen World Superbike event, on September 5, construction began on the new head-turning 'floating grandstand' (top pic), which will overlook the final chicane and start/finish straight at the world famous circuit.

Following the 2003 Dutch TT, MotoGP riders - represented by Valentino Rossi, Sete Gibernau, Kenny Roberts, Jr. and Nobuatsu Aoki - requested that, as an extra safety precaution, the gravel pit at the final chicane was enlarged.

But in order to enlarge the gravel trap, the Finish grandstand, with over 5,000 of the most desirable seats, would almost certainly have to be removed - so a unique solution was found...

Circuit 'Building Affairs' board member Willem Bielderman developed a design for a 'floating' grandstand, roughly 200 metres long, with a gravel trap underneath. This inventive plan helps guarantee the safety of the competitors, while saving the very desirable viewing point for spectators.

The new 'floating' grandstand will comprise of over 6,700 seats, which will be connected directly to both the Main grandstand and, via a rising curve, to the Winterdijk grandstand, which will also be raised up one metre.

Like the Main grandstand, the bottom row of the new 'floating' grandstand starts at a height of four metres, which means that the racing fans no longer have to watch through the fencing, and the highest point reaches up to a height of fifteen metres, giving spectators a unique panoramic view of the TT circuit.

So far, the preformed plastic seats of the Finish and Winterdijk stands have been removed and, this week, a number of cranes and diggers began moving the existing dirt incline (lower pic).

Construction of the 'floating' grandstand will take the entire winter, after which the new grandstand will be 'broken in' before the 75th Dutch TT takes place on 25 June 2005.